Walter j



(No Model.)

W. J. BOWLES & J. LAYTON.

FIRE KINDLER.

No. 597,943. Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

UNITED STATES W'ALTER J BOWLES AND JOSEPH LAYTON, OF CUSTER, SOUTHDAKOTA; SAID BOlVLES ASSIGNOR TO HENRY PILGER, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-KINDLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,943, dated January25, 1898.

Application filed July 8, 1897. $erial No. 643,913. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, \VALTER J. BOWLES and JosEPn LAYTON, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Custer, in the county of Custer and Stateof South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Kindlers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention is a fire-kindler; and it consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of its parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of our invention.Fig. 2 is an edge view with part of the handle cut away.

Our invention is described as follows:

1 is the bulb.

2 is the wire forming the handle 2'.

3 is the eye of the handle.

The bulb consists of quite a quantity of circular sheets of mica 4.,having through each sheet at its center a perforation 5, and throughthese perforations is inserted the wire 2. Said wire is brought togethernear the periphery of these sheets of mica at one point, which we mark6, and said wire is brought so tightly together as to bind the edges ofsaid sheets at that point perfectly close together and cause them tostand out at the point 7, immediately opposite the point '6, leavingbetween each sheet a slight space 8. Then the wire is is that it may beindestructible by fire, as mica is fireproof. The little spaces 8between the sheets of the bulb are that the bulb may more readily takeup the oil, gasolene, or other inflammable matter in which it isimmerged to render it ignitible.

In use the bulb of the fire-kindler is placed in a vessel of coal-oil,kerosene, or other inflammable material, and when we desire to make afire we remove the'kindler and place it in the stove and pile the woodover it. Ne then touch a match to the bulb. A fiame is immediatelyproduced and kindles the fire. Then the kindler may be removed.

A kindler having its bulb made of mica will last a great number ofyears, if taken care of, because mica is indestructible by fire.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A fire-kindler consisting of the bulb 1, composed of circular sheets ofmica flared at one edge leaving between each sheet at such edge a space8, and each sheet having in its center a perforation 5; wire 2, passingthrough the perforations 5, and twisted together at the point 6, forminga handle 2, substantially as shown and described and for the purposesset forth.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER J. BOWLES. JOSEPH LAYTon.

Witnesses:

S. L. GAPER, G. E. SMITH.

